Protecting Pets from Outdoor Environmental Toxins

The great outdoors presents many opportunities for pets to become exposed to poisonous substances. The arrival of spring brings with it some particular hazards that dog and cat owners should be aware of, as well:

Cocoa hull mulch: Two people have emailed me recently regarding this hazardous material. Theobromine, the ingredient in chocolate and cocoa that makes it so poisonous to cats and dogs, is also present in this mulch made from the hulls of the cocoa bean. Dogs have died after ingesting this product, and it is equally dangerous for cats. If you must mulch your gardens, use another type; there are many alternatives.

Compost heaps: Some dogs can't seem to resist diving in and sampling the contents of these piles, newly visible after a winter of snow cover. Some veterinarians call this "garbage gut": The dog becomes ill after rooting around and finding a few not-completely composted delicacies. Usually they recover without permanent damage, but a trip to the vet is usually in order. A similar, more dangerous problem occurs when dogs ingest the carcasses of animals that died during the winter. Their decomposing bodies were partly frozen, but are now able to rot away with the warmer weather. The smell often attracts free-roaming dogs, who can develop pancreatitis and other symptoms of poisoning.

Pesticides: Lawn-care companies use a toxic brew to produce those green lawns, and animals who walk on freshly-treated surfaces can become ill. These chemicals can be absorbed through the pads of the feet, and cats will also lick these toxins off of their bodies. Insecticides used to control ants and termites are also dangerous to pets. Use natural alternatives whenever possible and don't allow your pets to roam onto neighbor's treated lawns.

Automotive fluids: Dogs and cats love to drink out of driveway puddles, but can get more than they bargained for when contaminants such as radiator fluid, oil and transmission fluid that leaked from parked vehicles are mixed in. Also, be sure to store these products on high shelves if your pets are allowed in your garage, since many pets actually like the taste of anti-freeze and may seek it out if they can smell it.

This list represents only a portion of the poisonous substances pets are exposed to in our modern life, and it's up to us to keep them safe. They look to us to protect them, so be aware of these outdoor toxins and take steps to protect your pet.

Can Heartworm Cause Heart Problems in Cats?

Heartworm is a disease that is mostly associated with dogs. Actually, it is an infestation rather than an actual disease. If the heartworms (yes, they are actually roundworms!) proliferate to the point that they begin to clog heart blood vessels, symptoms of heart disease occur. Since the parasite is transmitted by mosquitoes, the worms' young, or microfilaria, circulate in the animal's bloodstream in order to be picked up by the next biting mosquito.

I remember learning about heartworm in my college parasitology course. The text showed a necropsied dog heart, opened up to show all those gross worms. They even managed to find a cat heart to photograph in this manner, as well. While it is entirely possible for cats to contract heartworm, in reality, it is seldom seen. Why is this?

Well, for one thing, animal doctors aren't looking for it. When I worked for veterinarians, this time of year was a real money maker for them. We actually had a name for it: Heartworm Season. For a set fee, clients would bring in their dog, have us do a quick blood test to look for microfilaria, and, if all was well, leave with a large supply of heartworm preventative tablets. If the blood test was positive, it entailed intravenous treatments of an arsenic-based drug to kill the worms before the preventative treatment would be prescribed.

I saw a handful of dogs with heartworm in the years I worked for vet clinics, and they were usually large dogs. Smaller dogs, with smaller hearts, seemed more resistant. Cats were never tested, and I never heard of one that was diagnosed with heartworm disease. The dogs we treated did not exhibit any symptoms, either; we found the infestation upon examining the blood. Very possibly, they may never have exhibited symptoms, or their immune systems may have taken care of the problem before the heart was even involved.

Once again, economics was very probably the impetus behind heartworm testing and prevention, rather than any real health threat. If a cat actually did have heartworm, I would imagine it to be secondary to an existing heart problem. Heart disease would not only depress the animal's immune system so as to allow these parasites to gain a foothold, but would present an enlarged heart with slower pumping action. Since these worms can grow very large, a small animal just doesn't make the best host. There would have to be extenuating circumstances for this scenario to exist.

By the way, unless you live near wetlands and have large dogs that are outside most of the time, you might want to reconsider preventative heartworm medication. The idea behind it is to keep a very low level of a drug lethal to microfilaria circulating in your dog's blood for 6-8 months of the year. Talk to your vet, but also do a little research. The drug may not be doing your dog's circulatory system any good, either.
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A Sad Goodbye

This past Saturday was a sad day in our neighborhood. Miss P.'s 10-year-old German Shepherd, Mr. D., who had been ailing the past few days, had to be put to sleep. He had been doing well, up to about one week ago, when he started having problems with his back legs. Miss P., thinking it was the hip dysplasia acting up, procured anti-inflammatories from her holistic veterinarian, but D. continued to decline. Clearly, something else was going on, so she made an appointment for Saturday morning, when she, J. and I could all go together with Mr. D.

J. and I had been looking in on D. a couple of times a day the preceding week while Miss P. was at work, so we knew he would need to be carried. It had gotten to the point where he wouldn't even drink water when it was brought to him, and he could not get up. Even at this point, I was still hoping that something could be done; maybe the drugs didn't agree with him, I thought. But Miss P., knowing her dog, was preparing herself for the worst. She knew what we could not; he was, after all, her best friend.

Miss P. sat in the back seat with D.'s head in her lap as J. drove us to the vet's office. When the staff was ready for us, we carried him in and placed him on a mat the doctor had put down on the floor. J. and I waited outside, and a few minutes later the vet came out to give us the news: She had felt a mass in D.'s abdomen, and there were signs of internal bleeding. Did we want to go in to say goodbye?

J. had to make a quick exit, but I stayed on with Miss P., stroking D.'s body to calm him. Miss P. and Mr. D., nose to nose, communed while preparations were made. The whole time, he never even whimpered, brave boy that he was. He also never took his eyes from Miss P.'s face as he passed, quiet as a lamb, in the arms of his soul mate. Sad, but beautiful, too.

Miss P. has been through some hard times lately, and Mr. D. helped see her through. He was special, of course, but she had "G. Sheps" before him and she will have more now that he is gone. As she told J. last year when he communicated her parents' concern about her living alone, "J., I will always have German Shepherds!" I mentioned to her just the other day that, just as I am "part cat", she is "part German Shepherd". I won't be at all surprised if she dedicates her vacation this year to settling in a new, younger version of Mr. D., with whom she will forge a different, but equally satisfying bond.

Sweet dreams, big guy! You will always have a special place in this cat person's heart.
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Protecting Your Pet from Old Man Winter: Dogs

Winter came in like a lion this year, before many of us were ready. Cold air, wind, snow and sleet are all manageable for us, as long as we take precautions. Similarly, our pets need protection from severe weather in order to make it to spring unscathed. Now is a good time to discuss how we can help keep our animals safe from the ravages of winter weather.

Dogs generally spend more time outdoors than cats, though probably less now than when I was a kid. Back then, it seemed like everyone's dog stayed outside, at least most of the time. Of course, kids stayed outside more in those days, and kids and dogs go together, as we all know. At any rate, many dogs, even large breeds, seem to spend more time indoors with the human family. This can actually make the cold weather tougher on these animals, since the rule has always been that an outdoor dog should stay outdoors and an indoor dog should primarily be a house dog. Unlike cats, dogs can't seem to acclimate themselves to constant movement between indoor and outdoor temperatures.

If your dog spends quite a bit of time outside, it's a must to have a kennel or dog house so that he can get out of the cold and off of the ice and snow. Foot pads, noses and ears can all get frostbitten, and hypothermia can occur, especially if the animal gets wet. Provide a dog house that is big enough for your dog to stand up and turn around in, and provide a wool blanket for him to lie on (wool wicks moisture away from the body). Attach rubber flaps on the opening so that he can enter and exit easily, but keeps the cold wind out.

Since dogs need exercise even on cold days, another hazard for them is road salt and sidewalk de-icers. There are many pet-friendly brands sold in pet stores, but the salt used on roadways can damage your dog's foot pads if it stays in contact with his feet for too long. Wipe his paws after each walk with a warm, moist towel to remove any residue. He should get used to this easily, since most dogs love the extra attention!

A problem with larger breeds, hip dysplasia, can be more noticeable in winter due to the slippery conditions. We can wear those neat grippers on our shoes, but our dogs cannot. Splaying of the rear legs can exacerbate this condition and cause tendon and muscle soreness. Whenever possible, try to keep Rover on cleared surfaces, particularly when he is doing his "business" (squatting can cause slipping). This happened recently with Miss P.'s dog, Mr. D., and he's a hurting pup right now. Using a harness rather than a collar leash may help, as you will be able provide some additional support at those critical moments.

Tomorrow, we'll take a look at some ways to protect your cat from the ice and cold.
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New Year's Resolutions for Pet Lovers

As much as we love our pets, there is always room for improvement in the ways we understand and care for them. Therefore, with 2009 drawing to a close, I have thought of a few resolutions for the new year that will help both pets and their owners glide through the next year and beyond with less stress, better health and more fun!

Wean your cat off of dry food. If there is just one nutritional improvement you can implement, make it this one. It may take some time, as your cat will complain about this, but stand firm. This type of "food" causes more health problems in cats than anything else, since it so foreign to a cat's metabolism that it sets the stage for other health issues. Want to see urinary problems, skin rashes and dry coat problems disappear? You'll see a difference within 3 months, guaranteed.

Buy only premium canned food. Spend a little more and forgo the "supermarket" brands that are full of dyes, fillers and toxins. Homemade food is really the way to go, but if you can't manage it, this is the next best thing. Supplement with home cooked food (some of your own dinner, perhaps?) and a good daily vitamin. You'll be amazed at the results!

Keep your pet's weight in the normal range. If you follow the above suggestions, your pet's weight will probably not creep up. Dry food creates fat cats, and fat cats don't like to exercise, even if they go outdoors. You won't need to entertain your indoor cats to get them to exercise if they are not overweight. They'll move around plenty, particularly around feeding time (since they won't be snacking all day on dry food).

If you have only one cat or dog, think about getting another. A puppy or kitten will be more acceptable to an adult pet, and there will be an introductory period, no doubt. But everyone wants a pal, and your solitary pet may get lonely while you're at work. Once they get used to each other, you'll wonder why you didn't do this sooner! Some shelters let you bring your pet so that you can "test" applicants to see if they are compatible. I do believe, though, that as long as you introduce them correctly at home, any two animals will be able to co-habitate happily.

If you currently have no pets, now's the time to adopt. If you've been thinking about getting a pet, or yours just recently died, wait no longer. Shelters are full of dogs and cats that need you! Remember, the breaking-in period is much less traumatic when you bring them both (or all) home at once!

Happy New Year! Chat later!

Study: Women Like Men Who Like Cats and Dogs

We've all heard the saying, "Love me, love my dog (or cat!)". Do people really look for pet-friendly-ness in a prospective mate? Well, according to a study published last year in the British Journal of Psychology, although both sexes find altruism an attractive characteristic in a mate, women particularly do. More specifically, women rated behavior scenarios such as, "climbed a tree to rescue a cat" or "cared for a dog injured by a car" as very highly desirable traits in a life partner.

No big surprises here, right? I worked for years with a man who constantly complained that his wife loved her cat more than she loved him (he was serious) and was more attentive to the animal's comfort than to his (ditto). I myself required husband material to either be a cat lover or, at minimum, cat-tolerant. So, when J. first told me he didn't like cats, I wondered if things would work out between us. No worries. It turned out that he just didn't know what he was missing, and the constant parade of cute cats and kittens marching through my life won him over.

On the other hand, everyone knows how an adorable puppy or kitten can break the ice with almost anyone, including that someone who hadn't given you a second look before! Adult animals work just as well, especially if they are well-behaved. I have seen many examples of attractive women slobbering over obedient canines whose master is just waiting for the right moment to ask the sweet young thing for her phone number. "Love my dog, love me", he seems to be thinking!

Of course, attracting a partner is far from the only reason to bring a cat or dog into one's life. But, as they say, it sure doesn't hurt!

Just So You Know: No matter what your gender or gender preference, a loving animal companion will make the good times better and brighten those occasional dark days. If you haven't already, take a trip to your local shelter and pick out a special someone (or two, or three) to make your house more of a home. You'll be glad you did.
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Vaccinations for Dogs: Kennel Cough and Rabies

Kennel cough, usually caused by the Bortadella bacterium, can really be a term used to describe any extremely contagious upper respiratory infection in dogs.
Because of this tendency to spread easily to other dogs through aerosol droplets, supportive home care is the usual course of treatment, rather than hospitalization. The disease, which can last up to three weeks, generally exits the acute phase within the first few days and is self-limiting. Symptoms are influenza-like in nature, and complete recovery is the norm.

Vaccinating dogs against this disease is very common. Since, like many other vaccines, the usefulness is questionable and negative side effects occur with some regularity, you might well wonder why it is even necessary. Like the rabies vaccine, politics are responsible for the majority of dog owners getting their dogs inoculated against these two diseases.

In the case of rabies, as we have seen, a serious, usually fatal disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans cannot be overlooked as a public health concern. Legislation in most states requires rabies vaccination in order to license a dog. This is not negotiable, so in order to reduce vaccine-induced reactions, one should try to limit other, not-so-necessary inoculations.

Dog owners will have difficulty avoiding kennel cough vaccination, as well. If you board your dog, this will have to be done if not up-to-date. Otherwise, the kennels will not board your dog. If your dog needs hospitalization, the veterinarian will require the same. Therefore, this is another shot that many dogs receive on a regular basis.

Although you cannot avoid these two inoculations, limit vaccine exposure by choosing against other, unnecessary (and ineffective) vaccinations; avoid getting more than one vaccine inoculation at a time and don't get vaccinations early--wait the full, required time before boostering.

In the near future, I will be discussing homeopathic "nosodes" for immunity to common diseases. Stay tuned.
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Vaccinating Dogs Against Lyme Disease

If you live in a rural area, chances are you are familiar with Lyme disease, whether or not you own a dog.  Transmitted by deer ticks, this disease can become chronic and debilitating.  If diagnosed early enough, a long course of antibiotics can often be curative. If diagnosed only after a period of illness during which the bacteria, Borrelia bergdorferi, seems able to "dig in its heels", cure is often elusive.  The ticks generally ingest the bacteria from mice, upon whom they feast early in their life cycle.  By the time they bite humans or dogs, they have the ability to transmit the organism through their salivary glands.

The symptoms of Lyme disease are fever, lethargy, swollen lymph nodes, pain and joint swelling.  It is difficult to test for infection serologically (blood serum tests) due to false positives/negatives.  Usually, diagnosis is made using symptoms (which can mimic other diseases) and the fact that the dog lives in an area known to have ticks (dicey, again).

Chronic Lyme disease infection has been blamed for many cases of arthritis and auto-immune disorders.  We have friends whose old Labrador Retriever was diagnosed late in life, 10 years old or so.  She went through the treatment, to no avail.  Supportive treatment kept her comfortable for two more years.  Unfortunately, by the time a dog is that age, all health problems become magnified by the mere passage of time.

This is a disease that dogs should be vaccinated against, since it is such a health threat.  As you may have guessed, though, an organism so tricky that it cannot even be serologically identified as being present or not, does not lend itself to efficacious vaccine protocol.  Vaccines have been known to actually cause the disease, and, when these dogs were tested it was found that the inoculation was the source.  Not very helpful.  So far, no vaccine has shown promise.  The best way to avoid this problem is to check your dog daily for ticks, and remove promptly.  If they are removed within 24 hours, chances of disease transmission is extremely slim.

Just So You Know:  Check yourself daily, as well!
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Dogs, Canine Distemper and Vaccination

Canine distemper is a disease for which veterinarians have been vaccinating dogs for decades.  It is not related at all to feline distemper (actually, panleukopenia) which, as we've seen, is more closely related to parvovirus (or, at least, was at one time).  Distemper in dogs is caused by a morbillivirus, which is more closely related to measles than anything else.

Mainly an upper respiratory disease, most dogs will be exposed to the distemper virus at some point in their lives.  Even unvaccinated, though, few dogs will actually become ill; this could be a result of natural immunity from repeated exposure.  Dogs that do develop symptoms will present with fever and lethargy, which seems to resolve itself within a week.  The fever relapses, however, with nasal discharge, eye inflammation, coughing, anorexia (no appetite) diarrhea and lethargy.  In severe cases, the dog's foot pads become thick and hard, hence the moniker, "hardpad disease".

Due to its close relation to the measles virus, some countries use that vaccine to inoculate against both distemper and measles.  In the U.S., a modified-live vaccine replaced the less efficient killed version decades ago.  The  vaccine has good efficacy, but has been known to induce disease, particularly in young pups.  Interestingly, there have been reports of dogs exhibiting behavioral changes after inoculation, similar to the autistic changes noted in some children after a measles shot.  Again, it is best to not bundle this vaccine in with others but to give separately to avoid vaccine-induced reactions.

So Cute:  The other day, a mama deer and her two fawns were grazing in our front yard.  I grabbed the camera, but, unfortunately, they must have sensed something was up, as they took off, little white tails waving.  That would have been a great pic!
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Parvovirus, Dogs and Vaccination

I had started my first job with a veterinarian in the late 1970s when the parvovirus outbreak occurred.  Scores of dogs were admitted with bloody diarrhea, the smell of which could literally choke you.  If memory serves, it took about nine months for the outbreak to run its course, and those were not happy days for veterinary technicians, I assure you.  Almost all the dogs recovered, and life went on.

Of course, such a canine health crisis did not go unnoticed by the drug companies, who naturally came up with a vaccine for the disease.  Its sudden appearance spurred research into its source, which seems to be feline panleukopenia, which somehow morphed into a canine virus.  There is a theory that this mutation occurred in the laboratory, most likely while producing panleukopenia vaccines.

Symptoms of "parvo" are, besides the bloody diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, fever, lethargy and anorexia (no appetite).  The treatment is still supportive, consisting mostly of fluid administration until the disease runs its course.  The vomitus and feces can carry the virus, so scrupulous clean-up is a must.

Canine parvovirus vaccines seem to vary widely in their efficacy.  As I recall from my vet tech days, dogs were initially inoculated with the feline panleukopenia (distemper) vaccine, which was thought to be similar enough to induce immunity.  Wrong!  After experimenting with killed virus, a modified live version came out that instilled a limited immune response.  By this time, however, the disease had mutated into two distinct strains, so the vaccine lost efficacy after a time.

Parvovirus vaccines don't work well on young pups.  Otherwise, in adults, protection lasts approximately 5 years; due to the modified-live aspect of the vaccine, though, more side effects can occur.  Intestinal as well heart problems have been reported in inoculated dogs, and side effects are exacerbated when given in tandem with other vaccines.  Since parvoviruses depress the immune system, the list of health problems that could conceivably occur with repeated vaccination seems endless.

What to do?  If you really need to inoculate your dog against this disease, it seems prudent to wait until he's older than 16 weeks, give the parvovirus shot separate from all others, and don't inoculate again until at least 5 years.  This should give your dog protection without unduly taxing his immune system.

Next up:  Canine distemper.
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Canine Vaccination Protocol

Now that we've covered feline vaccinations, it's time to go back and cover the protocol for our canine friends.  It's not as easy to dispense with inoculations with dogs as it is with cats, for several reasons.  One is that dogs cannot, reasonably, be considered "indoor" pets.  They need exercise above and beyond what cats need, and, the larger the breed, the more exercise is necessary.  Also, unlike cats, they need to do their "business" outside.  I have yet to hear of anyone  successfully litter box training a dog (or wanting to)!  Going outdoors on a regular basis means that dogs come into contact with other animals, both domesticated and wild, that can carry disease.  Mosquitoes, vectors of such canine illnesses as heartworm and lyme disease, also bother dogs more than cats, who are not as susceptible to those two diseases anyway.

There is also the issue of laws and regulations.  Since dogs must be licensed in almost every state (perhaps every state, by now), state laws generally require certain vaccinations to be up-to-date or the license will not be issued.  These requirements vary from state to state, but rabies vaccination is one that I believe is always required.  As discussed here recently, the public health aspect of this disease cannot be ignored, nor should it be.

When cat owners go away for the weekend, they often leave bowls of water and dry food out for their cats, knowing that they will be gone only overnight.  I'm not saying I agree with the feeding of dry food, mind you, only that this is a convenience many people like about owning cats versus dogs.  At any rate, dogs need much more attention than cats and it's still simpler to have someone come in a couple of times each day to feed your cats and clean boxes than it is to set up in-house care for a dog.  That is why most people board their dogs at a kennel when they go away.  Most, if not all, reputable kennels require proof of state-mandated vaccinations before boarding, and usually insist upon inoculation against kennel cough as well.  This disease will spread like wildfire through their facility if given a chance, something that is definitely not good for business!

Next week, we'll start looking at which vaccinations you'll most likely be considering (or be counseled to consider) when you adopt your new pup.
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Rabies, Vaccination and Public Health

When I was a kid, I remember watching a movie on a Saturday afternoon. It was about a man, bitten by an angry dog, who became obsessed by the notion that he had contracted rabies. I'm pretty sure this movie was black and white, from the 1950s or even 40s. The entire film followed the hapless fellow as he lurched from one room in his apartment to another, thirsty but unable to drink a glass of water (a nod to rabies' misnomer, "hydrophobia"). As it turned out, he didn't have rabies at all, just a hysterical rendition of the illness.

Rabies is a deadly disease, no doubt about it. Of course, there are other diseases just as horrible, but rabies occupies a special place in our psyche. The attack, possibly a maiming one, of a virus-maddened animal (remember, "Cujo"?); the creeping insidiousness of the disease as it takes hold, causing lack of control, madness, then an agonizing death. No wonder we fear it!

Cats, more than dogs, tend to exhibit the furious (aggressive behavioral symptoms) v. the dumb (progressive paralysis) type of rabies. Changes in behavior, particularly an aggressive fearlessness, lack of coordination and hypersensitivity to stimuli are symptoms of furious rabies. Once the virus replicates at the infection site, it moves through the body via the nervous system to the brain, then the salivary glands. This progression is the same in dumb rabies, where paralysis starts in the throat causing an inability to swallow (aha!). The infected animal can shed the virus for months or even years, as in cases where the animal recovers without exhibiting debilitating symptoms. So, even if an animal doesn't die of rabies, he can still infect others, who may not fare so well.

Rabies is one of the few true zoonoses (pathogens transmissible from animals to humans) and this fact, along with the disease's seriousness, make it a true public health threat. Since the virus may take several weeks to move from the point of entry to its destination in the brain, people handling these animals run a very real risk of infection. Hence the laws requiring pet (particularly dog) vaccination against rabies.

Next week we'll take a look at the efficacy, side effects and risks associated with the rabies vaccines being used on our cats and dogs.
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